FirstGroup Helps Ensure No-one Faces Cancer Alone by Donating more than £225k Ad Space to Support New Macmillan Campaign

2013-02-25 — /travelprnews.com/ — Aberdeen buses will hit the road this week to help Macmillan Cancer Support reach out to the 7,000* people living with a cancer diagnosis in the city and help ensure no one faces cancer alone as FirstGroup donates significant advertising space to support the charity’s new ‘Not Alone’ campaign.

The number of people living with a cancer diagnosis in Aberdeen is currently around 7,000 and this is expected to almost double to around 13,300 by 2030.  Meanwhile in Aberdeenshire the number is set to grow to around 18,000 by 2030 from the current figure of 8,800.*

Staff at the UK’s leading transport operator, Aberdeen based FirstGroup, selected Macmillan as its national charity partner in 2012.  As part of the partnership First will donate more than £225k worth of advertising space on up to 7,500 buses throughout the UK, including all buses in Aberdeen, to help the Macmillan team signpost more people to its services.

Staff Manager at First Aberdeen, Alan Cheyne, knows first-hand the invaluable support that Macmillan provides having been diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1991.  “I was very fortunate in that I made a full recovery,” said Alan.  “However, it was an incredibly difficult period for me and in particular my family.  The Macmillan nurses were hugely supportive and provided us with comfort, advice and real hope. I cannot praise Macmillan enough and I’m delighted that FirstGroup is doing so much to support the charity.”

Katie Smart, CSR and Community Manager at FirstGroup, said:  “FirstGroup is very proud to be supporting Macmillan and people across the UK who are affected by cancer.  We hope our partnership with Macmillan and especially the advertising on our buses will mean that more people can be signposted to its fantastic services and will not face cancer alone.”

Susan Sutherland, Macmillan Development Manager for the North of Scotland said:  “We are delighted to be working with FirstGroup and so grateful for its support of Macmillan’s Not Alone campaign and extending our reach into local communities.  This is just the start of a great new partnership that hopes to help people every step of the way.”

FirstGroup forged its partnership with Macmillan in July 2012 and has so far raised more than £350k in cash and kind, including the donation of advertising space, for people affected by cancer.

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